Cut!

New dreams, new designs, different approach.... cut!

Dreaming of new designs, trying a different approach. ..cut!!!

Okay, ....just cut!

Cultural Sunday

Next Sunday July 1, Marjolein and me will be guest artitsts at the Cultural Sunday from 13h - 17h in Het Paleis in Groningen. You can find us in the workroom (no 166) of Petra Koonstra on the first floor.
We'll show, present and sell our ++Plustwee cushions. Following the theme of this Cultural Sunday (see flyer above) you can see us in action as we'll be actually really working and of course you may ask questions on the design and work process. We'll also bring some solowork of Van San and lamps of Marjolein Perin.

brooch

Leather brooch €15  ©vansan

The brooch is built up in 3 layers, the black rear is of artificial leather to avoid stretching and loss of shape. €15 (ex shipping).

inspiration

Emily Barletta, thread and paper

How does it work, inspiration?
I came across this wonderful work of Emily Barletta. She and I independently came more or less to the same forms.

Dutch sand and woods

my sketches

My form came from studies from Dutch landscape pictures while searching and finding patterns for my ++PLUSTWEE designs. Where did Emily's inspiration come from? Probably not Dutch landscapes?! I think that it's great to have different inspirational sources and end up with more or less the same. It's morphogenetic consciousness or as we say 'it's in the air'...

above: radiolarian, a deep see life form

Of course, these forms are NOT NEW as they are derived from who we are and what we consist of...   which are cells! Cells and especially the deep oceanic life forms interest me a lot lately. I want to make a few screens with cellular forms for printing.

bag preview

colour inspiration from documentary images of containers in a port

detail of textile painting

proven new friend

My first bag since about a year is finished! (see, i've sewn many )
Nowadays I'm happy again sewing bags because of my lovely new sewing machine. My old one (still comfortably on a corner on my working table) just couldn't sew leather which I wanted to try for a long time.
So now a shoulder bag was born today, one with leather bottom and self designed and home printed fabric on top, an adjustable strap (by poppers) from 66 cm to 125 cm, a key clip and three inner pockets, closes with a zipper, €95 excl shipping, incl VAT/BTW. You can order it here.
There's more to come as you can see in the pictures. What do think of  it?

I made a textile painting too. In my student days I used to paint a lot, now I try to make it look the same but with handprinted designs and layers of fabric and stitching.
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And you may congratulate Tineke and her blog Stop:watch here, it's their birthday tomorrow (April 24) :-)

fairly ready

Ah, I see the picture shows only 5 cushions, we have six!

++ Plustwee is ready for the Ontmoetdesign (meet design) Fair next Thursday in Groningen!
Marjolein and I will be presenting six hand felt and hand printed cushions, ready to be admired and sold. 

We worked hard as we only got 4 weeks to get ready for the fair, but the work process and atmosphere between us was great! We had fun, I hope you like the results. I'd love to hear from you what you think of it: encouragements and critisism are needed - always, but especially when presenting something new. Thank you.

 

Please pay a visit to our new website, where in a short while you can see and order the 40x60cm cushions as well.

+ + Plustwee

+ + 

'Plustwee' is the name of our newborn partnership of Marjolein Perin and me. 
Since a year or so I wanted to co-work with Marjolein and after seeing my newest designs in printing, my colour combinations she finally said yes! Kick off!

House of Design asked us to participate in the Ontmoetdesign in the Wonen&Co fair in March, from 15th till 18th in Groningen. I felt a bit honoured, so we agreed to join as it is an excellent opportunity to  present our first handmade + + products.

We're working hard... and I'm happy!!   1+1= plustwee


Some more pictures here.

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awarded twice

Last week my blog was rewarded the Liebster Blog (favorite blog) Award TWICE!
One award was given by Nelleke of Langius Design and the second by Stephanie of Interieur-Coosje. I'm happy and grateful for it, thank you ladies!

Now I may pass The Liebster Blog Award to 5 other blogs.
I found it a difficult job to select five (and sometimes you don't know how much followers it has*) so I decided to select merely on Inspiration: on their Work, Techniques and used Colours, Subjects and Compostions, the Way they look at things shown in their pictures etc.
(in random order):

My top 5 blogs:

Joanna Rutter
Tsk Tsk 
Anja Mulder
Marjolein Perin 
Puppychick

You may pay the tribute forward, girls!

*The award is given to blogs with less than 200 followers.

If you receive such an award:

- you thank the one who gave you the award by posting a link

- you give the award on to five other blogs (and you let tim know by a comment on their blog)

- you hope that the award will be passed by to other ones

 

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clouds

Clouds are gathering in my studio. I've used the pattern so frequently since 2009 I had to strengthen the thumbed edges with tape. These cloud cushions the yellow one's already sold but can be made again - are called WOL(k) and are for sale.

One WOL(k) cushion measures aprox. 30 x 50 cm and cost €65.

new stuff

hand screenprinted cushion 40x40 cm

with matching blue piping

 

smartphone holders with fluorescent 'darning'

details of 'darning'

hand screenprinted cushions  30x50 cm

Here are some of my newest products. I'm happy to show them finally. I hope you like it!

I've been taking it easy and slow lately merely because of two facts: I was in a creative rut, I had no pleasure in sewing and being in my tiny workspace (i.e. the attic which is also our bedroom) where I have to work on the floor most of the time and my back's started to protest. I would like to share a workspace with several people like I had before (see Werkpost).
Secondly and honestly because I do not like to have a business All by Myself anymore. I do like to be my own boss! but I much more would like to work with a creative person who is a bit more skilled in business (advertisement, communication, finances etc) than me. Meetings might not be needed everyday but once a week or so. Anyone?
So that'll determine my next activities: networking, finding a new workspace and opening a new tiny shop.
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practice for fun

Although I'm almost completely fed up with those retro vintage prints I used to work with when I started my business, there's one I still like. I bought a piece of turquoise curtain years and years ago in a thriftstore in Belgium or Maastricht, I can't remember exactly. In it was a rather goofy looking dog, but the rest of the animals looked so sweet; a goat, a cat and my favorite this lovely little deer.
Last night I was fooling around in Photoshop (read: practice, practice, practice) and I created this birthday card just for fun. Even the pattern background I designed myself.


I'll soon post some pictures of new fabric stuff (prints and products) I designed last week.

handmade birthday party inviation for my girl

new cabinet from the thriftstore

a stranger in the kitchen